Download Users Guide - Camosun College

Child Tracker System
Owners Manual &
Reference
English 273 Assignment No.5
User Manual
Submitted to Joe Benge, Mel Dundas and Wayne Mayes
June 16, 2006
Software Version 1.0
© 2006 Child Tracker Incorporated
Camosun College
Interurban Campus
4461 Interurban Rd
Victoria BC, V9E 2C1
Tel: 250-370-3000
Web: www.camosun.bc.ca
John Caruana
[email protected]
Tel: 250-812-0926
Douglas Irvine
[email protected]
Tel: 250-923-8984
Christopher Cheng
[email protected]
Tel: 250-216-4537
Matthew Quenet
[email protected]
Tel: 250-888-7208
-2-
Table of Contents
Package Contents
Page 4
How to Use this Guide
Page 4
GPS & You
Page 5
Product Warnings
Page 6
Unit Features
Page 7
Powering up the Units
Page 8
Displays & Menus
Page 9
Main Display
Page 10
Options Display
Page 11
Child Out-of-Range
Page 13
Panic Situation
Page 15
Glossary of Terms
Page 17
Acknowledgments
Page 18
-3-
Thank You!
Thank you for choosing the Child Tracker Unit, the first
easy-to-use GPS based outdoor child finder!
Your child’s safety is paramount to our corporate policy.
We hope that you and your family enjoy a peace of mind by
using this device.
To get the most from your new unit, take the time to read
through this owner’s manual in order to understand the
operating features.
Before getting started with your Child Tracker, check to see
that your package includes the following items:
• Child Tracker Parental Unit (see Figure 2)
• Child Unit (see Figure 3)
• Owner’s Manual
• Two Battery Packs
How to use this Guide
Throughout this manual, you will encounter several
important icons, representing:
Useful or troubleshooting tips.
Precautionary warnings.
-4-
Global Positioning Satellites & You
The Child Tracking Unit relies on the Global Positioning
System. GPS is a system of 24 satellites (see Figure 1),
which circle the earth and transmit information to the earth.
The Child Tracker Units must continuously “see” at least
three of these satellites to calculate your child’s position.
The Child Tracker Units can determine the distance and
position of any GPS satellite, and use this information to
compute your position and your child’s position.
Once you power up the unit, it will compute a position
within a few moments. We will show you how to initialize
your new Child Tracker GPS later on in this guide.
Figure 1: 24 GPS satellites orbiting the Earth.
-5-
Product Warnings
The Global Positioning System (GPS) is operated by
the government of the United States, which is solely
responsible for its accuracy and maintenance.
Although this system is subject to changes that could
affect the accuracy and performance of your Child
Tracker Units, it has been commercially available for
more than 20 years.
This product is not intended for vehicular
applications.
It is the sole responsibility of the owner/operator of
the Child Tracker Units to safeguard their children.
The Child Tracker is a tool to aid you, but is not
infallible; you should always keep your children
within your field of view.
-6-
Unit Features
GPS
Ready
LED
GPS
Antenna
GPS
Receiver
RF
Antenna
Graphical
LCD
Battery
Pack
Figure 2: Parental unit features
RF
Antenna
GPS
Receiver
GPS
Antenna
Power
On
Panic
GPS
Ready
Battery
Pack
Figure 3: Child unit features
-7-
Powering Up Your Child Tracker Units
For your Child Tracker Units to work optimally, operation
must be in an open outdoor location, where each unit has an
unobstructed view of the sky.
Power up both units by connecting the battery pack power
lead to the power leads located on each unit (see Figure 4).
Figure 4: Battery leads connected to power leads.
Within 2 minutes of being powered, the green READY light
on each device will turn on, signifying a valid GPS position
has been calculated. Check that the green READY light on
each unit is lit (see Figure 6) before proceeding.
If the ready light does not appear in the first couple of
minutes of operation, check that the units have a clear
view of the sky. Large buildings, mountains, or heavy tree
cover may prevent the units from receiving enough
satellite signal data to calculate a position.
-8-
Display and Menu Screens
Figure 5: Display screens are linked in a chain
Alarm
MODE
UP
DOWN GPS
READY
Figure 6: Placement of the Green (GPS) Ready Light and the
MODE, UP, DOWN buttons on the parent module
The Parental unit features two main screens (main and
options), which are linked together in a chain (see Figure 5).
To scroll through the screens press the MODE button once.
Figure 6 shows the placement of the MODE, UP, DOWN,
Alarm, and GPS READY LED on the parental unit.
-9-
Main Display Screen
Figure 7: Parental Unit main display screen; on the left it
shows the display on power up, the right shows
when a GPS fix has been sustained
The main display screen will show “GPS Acquiring” until a
GPS fix has been sustained. After that the display will show
the direction of the selected child, and the distance from you
to the child (Figure 7).
The left side of the display screen shows directional
indicators, which point in the direction of the child (see
Figure 7).
The directional indicator is most accurate when the parent
unit is face up, and level with the ground.
On the right side of the display you will see which child is
currently being tracked, the distance to that child, and the
time.
Pressing the Up Button or the Down Button scrolls through
the child units available to the parent, with their relative
distance and direction displayed.
- 10 -
Options Screen
Figure 8: Options Screen
The options screen can be accessed by pressing the MODE
button located on the parental unit.
The options screen displays the child number, distance, and
interval settings (see Figure 8).
The Child Tracker Units allow a different distance and
update interval setting for each child.
Changing the settings for each child
While the word CHILD is highlighted in the options screen
(see Figure 8), pressing the up/down buttons rotates through
all available children, displaying their distance and interval
settings. Use this feature to select the child you wish to
adjust.
- 11 -
Changing the allowable Distance for each child
Figure 9: Distance setting for each child
Select the child you wish to adjust (Figure 8), and then press
the MODE button to highlight the word RANGE (Figure 9).
While the word RANGE is highlighted, pressing the
up/down buttons will change the allowable range for that
child, between 10 and 150 meters, in 5-meter increments.
Longer distances are more accurate when using GPS.
Changing the update Interval for each child
Figure 10: Interval setting for each child
- 12 -
Adjusting the interval setting adjusts the time between
updating the last known position of the child.
Select the child you wish to adjust (Figure 8) and then press
the MODE button twice, until the word INTRVL is
highlighted (see Figure 10).
Pressing the UP/DOWN buttons will adjust this option.
Intervals of 5 to 30 seconds (in 5 second increments) may be
set.
Shorter intervals allow the main display screen to be updated
more rapidly; however this shortens the battery life. Five
seconds is the suggested update interval.
Press the MODE button to return to the main display screen.
Child Out-of-Range Situation
Figure 11: Displaying the information for a child out of
range
- 13 -
If a child being tracked strays beyond the desired range:
(Figure 11)

An audible alarm will sound on the parental unit,
alerting the parent of the situation.

If the out-of-range child is not currently being
displayed on the main screen, the display will switch
to that child for quick information.

On the third line, the right side of the LCD will
display TOO-FAR, indicating the child has strayed
beyond the set distance.

The update interval for that child will be set to 5
seconds during the alarm period.

The alarm will disarm when the child or yourself is
back within distance of the set range.
- 14 -
Emergency / Panic Situations
PANIC
Figure 12: Location of the PANIC button on the child
module
If the child initiates a panic situation by pressing the panic
button on the child unit (see Figure 12)

An audible alarm is sounded on both the parent and
child unit.

The PANIC (red) LED on the child unit flashes.

The update interval for that child will be set to 5
seconds during the alarm period.

If the panicked child is not currently being displayed
on the main screen, the display will switch to the
child for quick information.

On the third line of the right side of the LCD PANIC
will be displayed, indicating your child is in trouble.
- 15 -

To disable the panic alarm on both units press the
panic button on the child’s unit.
- 16 -
Glossary of Terms
Panic Situation:
A panic situation is when your child has pressed the panic button
on the child module. This should be used to alert the parent that
your child needs your immediate attention.
Child-out-of-Range:
Once you have set a range for a child the GPS will continually
check to make sure that your child is within that distance. If your
child goes beyond that distance, the Child out of Range alarm will
sound. This should alert the parent to go retrieve his/her child.
Compass Directions:
These arrows on the screen point in the direction of your child.
The arrows are in the shape of a cone, and your child should be
located in the direction that the cone points at the specified
distance.
Update Interval:
This is the time it takes to get new data and update the display as
to the location of your child and its direction. The recommended
setting is 5 seconds.
LED
Light Emitting Diodes are used to alert the user to the modules
condition, these small lights have different colors:
 Red is for panic
 Green is for GPS online
 Blue is for power on
- 17 -
Acknowledgments
This project would not have been possible without the
dedication of Mel & Wayne and the resources provided to us
by Camosun College.
We would also like to thank US Global Sat for providing us
with free GPS samples, along with Hitachi Metals America,
Ltd. for providing us with free samples of their digital
compass (HM55B).
What to tell your child
This product is designed for tracking people of all ages. To
get the most out of the Child Tracker, ensure you talk with
your family so everyone understands how to use this device,
and what do in emergency situations.
- 18 -